"The fundamental goal of the department is placing scent as an artistic medium alongside painting, sculpture and music" Burr said. "The greatest scents are not recognized as works of art, and the artists who create them are not recognized as artists.” Presented in 2 galleries, the first is bare walled except for 12 curved indentations emitting 12 perfumes from 1889 through 2012 by top perfumers like Jicky by Aime Guerlain, Chanel N.5 by Enest Beaux, L'Interdit by Francis Fabron...

These scent diffusion machines usually found at industry shows. When a visitor leans in an electric eye is set off causing a burst of fragrance that lasts 4 seconds. This highly interactive installation was designed by Elizabeth Diller (The Highline) of Diller Scofidio and Renfro.

In the next room the same 12 perfumes are available in liquid form

Labeled touches,the paper blotter strips perfumers use to dip into recessed wells of perfume on the glass table

Are you dying to dip and sniff?

It's tremendous fun and educational in the most sensuous way

A pure experience without distracting glam packaging, glitzy stars or romantic videos we usually associate with perfume. Just your nose and your senses are engaged.

Chandler told us the US has a population of 300,000,000 and sells 50,000,000 bottles of perfume annually. France, with a population of 60,000,000, sells 60,000,000 bottles of perfume annually. C'est comme ca!

31 comments:

What a fascinating exhibit! I'd never thought of scent as an art. Love it! Love those lights outside, too. I am definitely going to have to get to New York one of these days! In the meantime, I'll just head to the department stores and sniff their perfumes!

What an intriguing exhibition. I'd like to sniff the wall there. I can't help thinking that that table with the 12 perfumes would be mixed up and confusing, but I'm sure that they've set it up so it's not.

I love many French perfumes, but due to allergies they have to be the original kind made from fleurs, not chemicals.The acknowledgement of the art of scent is overdue.

Have you seen the comic film Prête-moi ta main, about a perfumer ("name for... an expert creating perfume compositions, sometimes referred to affectionately as a Nose (French: le nez) due to their fine sense of smell & skill"). Very funny film.

I thought for a moment those Women were banging their heads against the wall. :) Love the last photo of those lit trees where the cars are pulling away. Lovely. This post reminds me of one time, when my Mom was alive, when we went shopping in the perfume department and spritzed ourselves with several types of perfume then she had to go right to the Dentist for an appointment. She apologized profusely saying she wasn't thinking when we did this sampling. He said, with out batting an eye..Oh good I thought maybe you had taken up a new business. groan.

Oh wow. I would love this. I have an unusually strong sense of smell. Chandler Burr is speaking to ME! If I can only get to New York by February....or maybe the scent will carry out here to the west coast!

I loved that little fun fact about perfume sales in the US vs. France. I am not surprised! The French (both men and women) like their scent. I think I've racked up 6 bottles of perfume since I moved to Paris alone.

This exhibition looks brilliant btw! I hope it travels over to Europe sometime - do you know if it will?

What a fascinating design...smelly walls. I little bit of France here at home is always a treat. Today, I'm going to a cooking class in Fort Worth hosted by Ellise Pierce (cowgirlchef.com) as she promotes her new cookbook. French hors d'oeuvres vs American appetizers...should be tasty. x Katie

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